Action against cruelty to animals in circuses

Action against cruelty to animals in circuses

By Mark Cronin

BRISBANE — Concerned residents and interested persons have picketed a circus with performing animals — Circus Royale — in its current tour of Brisbane.

A protester, Janette Oliva, said, "Trained animals spending their lives travelling in cages from town to town and being forced to perform unnatural acts, is not entertainment."

She added, "Most people do not perceive circuses as cruel because there is not a lot of visual cruelty to be seen during the performance". However, Oliva argued that cruel practices were used in training the animals.

At the pickets, pamphlets have been distributed to circus-goers detailing the alleged cruelty inherent in the captivity, transport and training of all circus animals. The protesters dress in clown and animal costumes, and also give balloons to children bearing the slogan "Circus animals suffer".

From GLW issue 29